The Sylph Machinery in The Rape of The Lock

Name- Ibtesaam Ahmed
Roll No- 185040

CC7
The sylph machinery in The Rape of the Lock.
The Rape of the Lock is one of the finest example of a mock epic and is a
reflection of Alexander Pope’s brilliance as a poet and satirist. Pope’s Rape of the
Lock is a satire on a trivial matter which makes it more interesting to the readers.
In an epic one of the most noticeable features is the presence of supernatural
elements or divine beings like Gods who have a certain role to play. Rape of the
Lock being a mock epic, involves the spirits or the sylph machinery which is
derived from the Rosicrucian doctrine as formulated by Le Comte in Germany in
the 17th century. According to this theory, four elements- fire, water, earth and air,
were inhabited by four kinds of spirits- Salamanders, Nymphs, Gnomes and
sylphs. In this poem Pope does not put all these spirits to function but simply
Sylphs and an evil spirit Umbrid are put in action.
The sylphs are airy good spirits led by Ariel (the name borrowed from
Shakespeare’s play “Tempest”), their guardian sylph. The sylphs are winged and
are invisible to human beings. Since they are supernatural creatures, they come
with some exclusive powers. They can change their shape and sex, inspect the
heart of a human being and can foresee the future. They are given the chief
responsibility to protect and guard Belinda, the heroine of this epic, against any
danger. We are introduced to Ariel first in Belinda’s dream in the form of a
handsome young man and the sylph addresses her as “Fairest of mortals”. Through
the sylphs who are presented as superficial and amoral in their attitude, sketch out
various categories of women with varied temperaments. The women who flirt
during their lifetime and take pleasure in it turn into sylphs and inhabit the air after
their death. The souls of women who are gentle and submissive pass into water and
take the form of sea nymphs. Those women who take the shadow of pretense and
put up a show of being modest take the shape of gnomes after their death, and
wander about on earth in search of more mischief. Finally, women who are fierce
and quarrelsome in nature take the shape of salamanders, and thus return to their
element of fire. This marvelous categorization of women is reminiscent of
Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” which also comprises of fairies and
magic.
Aerial’s role as the chief sylph, is pivotal in the Rape of the Lock. Aerial’s heart is
engulfed with anxious thoughts about the calamity approaching Belinda. He then
calls the fellow inhabitants of the air and with them he begins the whispered
conversation about the problem in order to save Belinda from the clutches of
danger. These tiny creatures with their beautifully coloured wings flutter about in
the air under the falling rays of the sun and they settle in groups so as to resemble
golden clouds. Pope here hints that their subtle brightness are hardly to be seen by
the gross eyes of man and their airy bodies melts into light, giving us a wonderful
picture of the sylphs. It is here that Pope lets in his imagination of the different
duties performed by the sylphs. Some bask about in regions of pure ether, some
control the movements of comets, stars and planets, while some guide the destinies
of men on earth, observe their conduct and control their deeds. The head sylph is
entrusted to look after the welfare of nations and protect the British throne. Some
are also given the duty to look after women so that they hold onto their chastity,
beauty, charm and appearance. Pope also provides us with the punishments the
sylphs might undergo if they fail to carry out their duties.
The sylphs in this poem are both a mirror and mock apotheosis of customs and
conventions of the society of the times. They are not merely colourful creatures,
but their addition to the poem makes it even more fascinating and enjoyable to the
readers without making it look vague and unnecessary to write an epic on a trivial
matter. Pope establishes his mastery working on the sylph machinery and thereby
gives the mock epic a new dimension where neither its essence nor its message
ever lost the true value of the “dire offence” that he dared to undertake by writing
on a trivial matter.
Bibliography
 https://www.academia.edu/35526933/Rosicrucian_Doctrine_in_Alexa
nder_Pope_s_THE_RAPE_OF_THE_LOCK
 https://www.bachelorandmaster.com/britishandamericanpoetry/use-
of-machinery-in-the-rape-of-the-lock.html#.Xd7NPW5FzIU
 https://www.academia.edu/8949130/Supernatural_elements_in_Rape_
of_lock

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Name- Ibtesaam Ahmed

Roll No- 185040

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